Apparatus for handling freight



Aug. 28, 1962 J. E. GUTRIDGE 3,051,093

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- Aug. 28, 1962 Filed Nov. 10, 1958 1962 J. E. GUTRIDGE 3,051,098

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING FREIGHT Filed Nov. 10, 1958 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 I"nun/1;

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In United States patent application, Serial No. 699,759, filed November29, 1957, in the names of Jack E. Gutriclge and William R. Hummel, forimprovements in Highway-Railway Transportation System and Apparatus,there is disclosed a system for handling freight in such manner thatmany economies are effected in transporting the freight in marine,railway and highway travel and various combinations thereof. Manyimportant aspects of the present invention are disclosed in saidapplication Serial No. 699,759, and for that reason, the entiredisclosure of that application is hereby incorporated by reference tothe extent that it is not inconsistent with the present disclosure.

In the prior application referred to, one of the important conceptsdisclosed concerns the use of a truck or semi-trailer chassis which canreadily be detached from the container carrying the freight load, and inone use of the system the truck or semi-trailer chassis carrying thecontainer is backed onto a railway car provided with lateral supports atapproximately the height of the container bottom and engageabletherewith, and separation of the container from the truck orsemi-trailer chassis is effected through the use of an air spring rearsuspension, which includes controls for collapsing the air spring toallow the weight of the container to rest upon the railway car supports,whereupon the truck or sen1itrailer chassis can be ulled from beneaththe container.

The railway car is equipped with a "fifth Wheel stand enga-geable with akingpin provided on the semi-trailer container to lift the front end ofthe container from the front supports of the railway car and to carrythe front end of the container load.

One of the outstanding advantages of the freight transportation systemdisclosed in said prior application is its compatibility with variousfreight transportation systems now in use in this country or beingoitered for use as a solution to obtaining greater economies in freighttransportation.

The present invention maintains all or substantially all of theadvantages inherent in the freight transportation system disclosed insaid prior application, but provides a diiierent means for loading andsupporting a freight container or a plurality of containers on therailway car, and with certain advantages.

One such advantage is that in the present invention the fifth wheelstand on the railway car is dispensed with, with resulting savings incost, except, of course, when a railway car presently used in piggybackservice is already equipped with a fifth wheel stand.

Further and other objects and advantages include the following:

The invention lends itself advantageously to gondolatype cars, and withthis type of car great flexibility is achieved in the number ofcontainers which may be sup ported on a single car due to the gonodolasides being approximately at the height at which the container loads areto be supported; the use of air springs in the rear suspension or" thetruck or semi-trailer is made unnecessary, because the truck tractor isused to provide the motive power for effecting separation of thecontainer from the chassis; it is a simple matter to lower thecontainers from a few inches to even greater distances in order to lowerthe center of gravity of the containers with respect to the railway carand to stay within railroad clearance lines; and the elevatable fifthwheel stand commonly provided on the truck tractor may be usedadvantageously in transferring the container load to the railway car byproper manipulation in order to maintain tractive power on the tractorwhile the container is being separated from the chassis.

It should be understood that the separation means herein disclosed foreffecting separation of the container from the truck or semi-trailer isequally useful at loading platforms, shippers docks, warehouse storageareas, etc, as well as on railway cars. It should be further understoodthat, while standard side gonodola cars are preferable for installingthe apparatus of this invention and in conjunction with its use in thesystem, other types of railway cars may be used, as, for example,fiatcars.

Further and other objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent as the disclosure proceeds and the description is read inconjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is similar to FIGURE 1 of the above identilied application andillustrates a plurality of railroad cars of diiferent types suitable foruse with the system disclosed in said application together with arailroad car arranged in accordance with the present invention, a trucktractor and semi-trailer shown backing into loaded position;

FIGURE 2 is an exploded perspective view of the railway car of thepresent invention and the separable semitrailer chassis and freightcontainer of the invention described in said copending application, asmodified in accordance with the principles of my present invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of the railroad car ofFIGURE 2, showing the container applied thereto for transit, with partsbroken away;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic side elevational view of a portionof one of the container lift devices provided in accordance with myinvention together with suitable apparatus for actuating same;

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic fragmental cross-sectional view along line5-5 of FIGURE 3, illustrating the principal features of a suitablecushioning device for the container when mounted on the railroad car;

FIGURE 6 is a fragmental transverse cross-sectional view of thecontainer and railway car, substantially along line 66 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to that of FIGURE 6, but illustrating theother side of the railroad car and container and showing the containerin elevated position;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmental diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a portionof the floor of the container, taken approx mately along line 8-8 ofFIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmental view similar to that of FIGURE 4, butillustrating a modified form of the invention employing cam elementsinstead of rocker-type lifts;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmental cross-sectional view approximately along line10-10 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 11 is an enlarged elevational view of one of the retractablesupport members carried by the container of the embodiment of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is a fragmental diagrammatic cross-sectional viewapproximately along line 12-12 of FIG- URE 11;

FIGURE 13 is a diagrammatic view similar in nature to that of FIGURE 3,but illustrating a further modified form of the invention; and

FIGURE 14 is a diagrammatic fragrnental cross-sectional viewapproximately along line 14-14 of FIG- URE 13.

It should be understood that the specific disclosure which follows isfor the purpose of complying with section 112 of title 35 of the US.code, and that the 'a a appended claims should be construed as broadlyas the prior art will permit consistent with the disclosure herein made.

General Description Referring first to FIGURES 1 and 2, and as describedin said copending application, the shipping yard facilities provided forplacing the system of the said copending application in operation mayinclude a single track upon which a number of flatcars or other specialcars are positioned in coupled relation, these cars being generallydesignated 30 in FIGURE 1.

At the end of the track is a ramp 32, and interconnecting adjacent carsare retractable sills generally designated 34.

Each of the cars 3@ is essentially a flatcar, so that a truck orsemi-trailer may be moved across its deck; but the cars may be, in someinstances, modified gondola cars, flatcars with a special type of sideframe, or other special cars particularly suited for their intendedusage. Every car which is to be used for piggyback service is providedwith a fifth wheel stand generally designated 36 and this is used tosupport the fifth Wheel pin of the semitrailer.

Conventional practice is for the truck tractor with its semi-trailer toback up the ramp 32, and from car to car over the sills 34 to the lastcar in the series, whereupon the truck tractor is disconnected in theusual manner, allowing the front of the semi-trailer to rest upon itslanding wheels 38, after which the truck tractor is driven off the cars,and the front of the semi-trailer is picked up by the fifth wheel stand36 to support the front end of the trailer during travel of the railwaycar.

In order to make the cars 30 alternatively usable with the novel systemof said copending application, retractable shelves or load supports areprovided at the rear of each car on opposite sides thereof, these beinggenerally designated 40. Similar retractable supports 42 are providednear the front end of the cars, and both front and rear supports 42 and40, when in their retracted positions (of FIGURE 1), permit piggybackoperation in a con ventional manner.

The preferred special type of semi-trailer used in the improved systemof said application combines a freight or load container 46 (see FIGURE2) mounted upon a special trailer chassis 44. The container body 46 is acompletely rigid structure, and does not require the trailer chassis 44to enable it to be supported at opposite sides of its rear end andopposite sides of its front end, or at the center of the front end. Thetrailer chassis 44 is preferably supported on its wheeled axles by airsprings 48, for reason Which will be later explained, though inalternate arrangements disclosed in said copending application, standardmechanical springs may be employed.

The truck tractor for the semi-trailer 44 and 46 just described ispreferably provided with a conventional hydraulic mechanism or the likefor changing the elevation of the fifth wheel with respect to theground, as this is a considerable convenience in the use of theequipment in the system of said copending application.

As described in said application, the container 46 may be provided withU-shaped member 41 into which the rear end of chassis 44 slides, arecess 43 at the front end of the container adapted to receive lockingpin 45 carried by chassis 44, and rotatable lock 47 adapted to hepositioned to prevent withdrawal of pin 45. Container 46 also includesblocks 4Q that actually contact retractable brackets 42.

When .the special trailer of said system of said copending applicationis to be transferred to a railway car, the trailer is backed onto thecars 30, using the motive power of the coupled truck tractor in exactlythe same manner as in the piggyback system, with the front and rearsupports 42 and 49 of the cars, through which the unit must pass inreaching the car 30 for loading, being retracted to permit free transit.The car 3% which is to be loaded has the upper segments 49 of its rearsupports in operative position; that is, in horizontal position(extending toward each other); and, as the trailer is backed onto thiscar, guide members or brackets 51 (see FIG- URE 2) on opposite sides ofthe rear end of the trailer container coact with the rear supports 40 tocenter the rear of the trailer over the car end and place the rear endof the trailer on these supports. The trailer is moved back on thesesupports a sufficient distance so that the front end of the trailerclears the front supports 42, after which the upper segments 55 of thefront supports 42 are moved to their operative horizontal positions, thelift mechanism for the fifth wheel plate of the tractor is raised, andthe trailer is moved forward by the tractor until the front end of thetrailer body or container is located above the front supports 42. Therear supports are of sufficient length longitudinally of the car so thatthe forward movement of the trailer over the front supports 42; will notdisengage the rear supports 40 from the rear end of the trailer.Thereupon, the fifth wheel plate of the tractor is lowered to permit thetrailer body to rest upon the upper segments 55 of front supports 42,and simultaneously, or subsequently, the air is let out of the airsprings 48 in order to have the rear support 40 support the load of thetrailer body.

The lowering of the fifth wheel plate of the tractor and the removal ofair from the air spring system enables! the trailer chassis 44, afterthe release of suitable locking mechanism, to be pulled out from beneaththe container 46, and the truck and trailer may be driven off the carand used for other service.

The container 46 is provided with a kingpin 53 that is properly locatedwith respect to the fifth wheel stand on the railway car, and the latteris raised into engagement with the kingpin and beyond, so that the frontend of the trailer body is then supported on the fifth wheel standrather than upon the front supports 42.

For unloading, a reverse sequence of steps is followed.

FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrate a special car 30a, arranged in accordancewith the principles of my present invention, as it may be used inassociation with the apparatus shown in FIGURES 1 and 2.

The special car 30a comprises in the illustrated embodiment, an openended gondola-type car formed with a flat floor or 'bed 61 and side wallstructures that each carry a sliding support 62 cushioned against buffand draft shocks by cushioning devices 63. The floor or bed 61 andstructures 60 may be formed in any suitable manner consistent with theobjects of the invention. In the embodiments of FIGURES 1-12, thesupports 62 each carry a pair of spaced container 'lift devices 64(embodiment of FIGURES 2-8) or 64a (first embodiment of FIGURES 9-14),each of which includes mechanical advantage lifting means spaced tocooperate with a separate extensible rigid support member 66 carried bythe container 46.

To load the car 30a with a container 46 separably carried by chassis 44and provided with the support members 66, the chassis 44 (carrying thecontainer with support members 66 retracted) is backed, for instance,through cars 30 onto the left hand end of car 300:, as the car isillustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2, the container then being positioned sothat the support members 66 are somewhat in front of the individualcontainer lift devices 64 or 64a. The container support members 66 arethen extended so that they will extend in front of the container liftdevices and over the side wall structures of the car (see FIG- URES 6and 7) and the container is disconnected from the chassis to permitseparation of the two. Then the backing action of the trailer tractor iscontinued to move the support members 66 against the respectivecontainer lift devices; and employing the motive power of the trailertractor, the vehicle is lifted or swung up approximately to the brokenline positions of FIGURE 3. Upstanding flange 69 of the chassis 44 ismade sufiiciently high to overlap the front end of the container evenwhen held at its maximum height by the container lift devices, so thatthe backing action of the tractor is transmitted to the container toeffect completely the desired elevation of the container.

This is effective to lift the container far enough, and to take enoughweight of the container off the chassis to permit the chassis to beremoved from underneath the container by the tractor trailer, thechassis being moved away from the container in the usual manner. Thecontainer lift devices 64 and 64a are arranged to hold the container inelevated position until the tractor trailer 4-4- has been removed,whereupon the container is lowered until the support members 66 aresupported by the side wall structures of the car. The container whensupported by the wall structures of the car is substantially lower thanwhen supported in the normal way by the trailer chassis.

When it is desired to unload the container 46 from car 36a, thecontainer lift devices are actuated to lift the container sufficientlyhigh so that a chassis 44 may be moved underneath it; the container liftdevices are then actuated to lower the container towards chassis 44, theflange 69 of the chassis serving as a stop against which the containerabuts for properly locating the container with respect to the chassis.The tractor driver releases the tractor and chassis brakes on contactbetween chassis flange 69 and the front end of the container, whichpermits a moving forward of the tractor, chassis and container, butkeeps the container properly associated with the chassis for applicationof suitable latching devices (such as those shown in FIGURE 2) to readythe container and chassis for highway travel. When the container hasbeen fully lowered onto the chassis 44, the container support members 66are released from the action of the container lift devices 64 or 64a,whereupon the forward motive movement of the trailer tractor is employedto withdraw the container from the railroad car, after support members66 have been fully retracted and the container latched to the chassis.

Of course, the chassis 44- is appropriately positioned with respect tothe railroad car container lift devices 64 or 64a prior to containerloading and unloading operatiOn to allow for the necessary movement ofthe container longitudinally of the car and correct indexing to insureproper association of the container member 41 with chassis 44.Parenthetically, it may be mentioned that container 41 is shown fordescriptive purposes only and may be eliminated in favor of a differenttype of latching device, which may be of any conventional type, if foundto be necessary or desirable. For instance, suitable pins (not shown)may be applied between container eyes 59 (see FIGURE 2) and the rear endof the chassis.

It will be immediately apparent that my invention eliminates the needfor air springs 48 as well as the fifth wheel stand 36. Thus, standardmechanical springs may be employed in the form of chassis 44 that isemployed in practicing my invention. Moreover, the container is providedwith a cushioned support on the side wall structures of the railroadcar, which means that it is positioned to provide maximum overheadclearance and is protected against buff and draft impacts.

SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION Referring now to the specific embodiment of FIGURES3-8, which also illustrate structural features common to those of theother embodiments, the railroad car sliding supports 62 each include apair of sliding channel-shaped members 70 which are received over therailing structure 72 of the railroad car side wall structure 60. Eachchannel member 70 is fixed, as by welding at 73, to housing 74 of thecushioning device 63 that is carried by a support 62, the housing 74enclosing a plurality of conventional rubber-like compression pads 76interposed between spaced followers 78 which in turn are engaged byspaced lugs 80 that are fixed to transverse framing member 82 of therailroad car side wall structure (the railing 6 structure 72 beinginterrupted to accommodate lugs The housing 74 at its sides is formedwith shoulders 84 that engage the respective followers 78.

The channel members 70 adjacent the opposed ends thereof in theembodiment of FIGURES 3-8, carry a pair of spaced depending hangerplates which are positioned on either side of the wall structure 60 (seeFIG- URES 6 and 7). The pairs of plates 90 at their lower ends eachcarry a pin 92 which pivotally mounts a rocker arm or lever 94 forpivotal movement between the positions indicated in FIGURE 3. Theillustrated levers 94 each comprise spaced plates 95 received on eachside of the car wall structure and joined at their ends by web 97;plates 95 are suitably formed to receive the respective pins 92. Thelower ends of the respective pairs of plates 9%) ride on, or cam on,wear plates 96 suitably secured to transverse members 98 of the car sidewall structures 60. The side wall structures may be slotted as at 100 topermit the movement of pins 92 longitudinally of the car that isprovided by the cushioning devices. Pins 92 may be held in position bysuitable cotter pins, nuts or the like (not shown).

The arms or levers 94 are each formed with a seat 102 that receives acontainer support member 66, plates 96 being suitably notched at theirupper ends for this purpose. The levers may be formed with upwardlyprojecting catch extensions 104, comprising extensions of webs 97, toinsure that the container support members 66, when extended, engage thelevers regardless of how high the container is riding on its chassis 44.

As indicated in FIGURE 4, the forward arm or lever 94 of each containersupport 62 is secured to a suitable power applying device, such as afluid actuated cylinder 110, that comprises jack means for raising andlowering the container. The cylinder is illustrated in the form of asingle acting hydraulic device, which is pivotally secured to therespective levers 94 as at 112 and to a suitable pillar or other support114 that is carried by the respective supports 62. Also mounted on therespective supports 62 is a suitable hydraulic pump 116 which may be ofany suitable design and which supplies hydraulic liquid to the left handend of cylinder 110, in the showing of FIGURE 4, when the valve 118 isin the solid line position; when the valve 118 is in the broken lineposition, the weight of the container on the arms or levers 94, when thechassis has been removed, or those handling the container in removingsame by pressing on the levers, return the hydraulic liquid to the tank120 that is associated with the appropriate pump 116. When the containeris initially swung up on levers 94, the valve 118 is positioned in thebroken line position so that the pistons 111 of hydraulic cylinders 110will draw hydraulic liquid into these devices under the motive power ofthe trailer tractor.

The respective channels 70 preferably carry arms or lever stops 119 ofany suitable design to prevent the respective arms or levers 94 frombeing swung (to the right of FIGURE 3) past a vertical position;preferably, the stops 119 are disposed so that levers or arms 94 do notquite reach a vertical position.

As best shown in FIGURE 3, the sliding channels 70 each carry a lug 122that is positioned in front of the adjacent lever 94 in its lowermostposition. The lugs 122 include rearwardly projecting ends 124 thatextend over the respective container support members 66 when thecontainer is supported by the side Wall structure of the car. Thecontainer 46 when carried by chassis 44 will ride suificiently high, orcontainer support members 66 are so positioned with respect to thecontainer, that members 66 pass over lugs 122 when the container isapplied to and withdrawn from the car 30a.

As indicated in FIGURES 6-8, the container support devices 66 eachcomprise a rigid tubular member formed from wear-resisting suitablematerials and secured to the container at each end thereof along andentirely across its bottom portion. The tubular members 130 preferablyrespectively replace one of the conventional transversely extendingcross bearers 132 of the bottom structure of the container at each endthereof and are rigidly secured in place within the floor structure ofthe container to serve the purpose of the cross bearers they replace.This may be done in any suitable manner.

The tubular members 130 at each end thereof each receive a rigidrod-like member 134 formed with a transverse bore 136 and a flanged head138. The rod-like members 134 are preferably each approximately equal toone-half the length of the tubular member 136 in which they are receivedand in the retracted position their heads 138 are preferably alignedwith the side wall structure of the container with their inner endssubstantially abutting within the center portion of the respective tubes130. The heads 138 are flanged to prevent lateral movement when rod-likemembers 134 engage the container lift devices.

An appropriate latch bar 140 may be provided to hold the respectivemembers 134 in extended or retracted positions, the latches 140cooperating with perforations 142 and 144 formed in the lower portion ofthe container. Resilient supporting plates 14% having approximately theconfigurations shown in FIGURES 2 and 6, may be mounted underneath theperforations 142 to hold the latch members 140 in latching position, asin the manner indicated in FIGURE 6. Any other suitable latchingarrangement for the rods 134- may be employed, as desired or necessary.

The rods 134 when moved against the levers or arms 94- during thetransfer of the container from the chassis ride above lugs 122 andengage extensions 104 to start the lever arms pivoting upwardly aboutpins 92. Further movement to the right of FIGURE 3, or rearwardly of thecar 30a, brings notches 102 of plates 95 into engagement with therespective rods 134, which starts the lifting action on the container.The container is moved to the right of FIGURE 3 sufilciently to raise itfrom one to three inches, which ordinarily will take enough of thecontainer Weight off the chassis to permit the latters removal. Afterremoval of the chassis, the container is permitted to swing down intoengagement with the channels 70 and their lugs 122, hydraulic valve 118being appropriately positioned for these operations to permit thenecessary flow of hydraulic liquid.

When the container is to be removed from the car, the hydraulic pumps116 are simultaneously acuated to swing levers 94 toward the verticalposition so that the container will be positioned at a sufficient heightto receive the chassis 44. After the chassis is positioned under thecontainer, the container lift devices are actuated as already describedto swing the levers or arms back to the left of FIGURE 3 to restore thefull weight of the container to the chassis. Valve 1113 is suitablypositioned to permit this movement as well as to permit the levers 94 tobe pushed down into engagement with channel 70, by the containerhandlers, until the levers are again needed.

In both the application of the container to the car, and its removaltherefrom, the trailer tractor fifth wheel elevating device may beemployed to apply a sufficient upwardly directed force on the front endof the container to give the tractor the traction it needs to accomplishmovement of the chassis with respect to the container. This also appliesto the other embodiments of the invention.

In the embodiments of FIGURES 9l2, the channel members 70 each carry apair of cam members 150 that are provided with cam surfaces 152 shapedto provide the lifting action effected by levers M. in this embodimentof the invention, the single acting cylinders 11% are replaced by adouble acting hydraulic cylinder 154, which in the case of the forwardcam members 151 are pivotally secured, as at 153, to an appropriatepillar or other suitable support 156 carried by the respective channels70. The piston rods 155 of cylinders 154 each carry a gripping head 15%formed with a downwardly opening seat 160 that is proportioned toreceive the adjacent end 134a of container support member 66 in itsextended position. The gripping heads 1158 are provided with a camsurface 162 that is initially engaged by the container support member 66as the container is being moved rearwardly of the car, or to the rightof FIGURE 9, by the trailer tractor acting on chassis 4 .4. The surface162 of each container lift device 64a serves as a catch and a cam forengaging the supports 66 of the container and camming the respectiveheads 158 upwardly to drop them about said supports 66 as the containeris moved rearwardly of the car. By the time the supports 66 of thecontainer engage against upwardly extending lugs 164 of the respectivecam devices 151 the gripping heads 158 are positioned with respect tothe container support member 66 approximately as shown in FIGURE 9.

Preferably, the cam members 150 on their inner surfaces carry a flangeor shelf 166 (see FIGURE l0) on which the respective heads 158 ride andwhich have the configuration of the cam surface 152 so that the grippinghead 15$ of each cam lift device 6111 will ride along the same path ofmovement that is defined by the respective cam surfaces 152, when it isnot received about a rod 13 1a.

The hydraulic cylinders 154 may be operated and controlled by anappropriate pump 17%, which is merely illustrative of the usualequipment accompanying hydraulic mechanisms of this type, and may supplyhydraulic liquid to the cylinders through appropriate apparatus such asfour-way control valve 171 and suitable conduiting interconnecting therespective pumps and cylinders. Of course, the cylinders on both sidesof the car may be actuated by a single pump and valve 171 Whereappropriate conduiting and apparatus is provided for this; this appliesto all illustrated and contemplated forms of the invention.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 9-12, the container supports 66 preferablyinclude the modified rod-like members 134a (see FIGURES l1 and 12) whichinclude the flanged rolling member 186 journalled on appropriate corestructure 182 by an appropriate form of bearing unit which may includespaced rollers or anti-friction elements 184. Core structures 18?.otherwise correspond to memers 134 of FIGURE 3-8.

When a chassis 44 carrying a container provided with rods 134a is moved,with the rods 134a extended, by a trailer tractor toward cam surfaces152, roller members 186: engage and move up surfaces 152 to lift thecontainer upwardly; of course, valves 171 are first positioned to permitthe necessary hydraulic liquid flow to and from cylinder 154. By thetime the roller members 180 engage lugs 164, the containers have beenraised sufficiently to permit the chassis to be removed from under thecontainer. Also, the heads 158, which may have been initially, but notnecessarily, moved to approximately the full line position of FIGURE 9,will have dropped down about rods 134a engaging same (heads 158 shouldbe positioned so that their surfaces 162 will be engaged by containersupports 66 regardless of how high the container is riding on itschassis). The chassis is then removed, the controlling valve 171 ofhydraulic mechanism being positioned to prohibit hydraulic flow, whichholds piston rods .155 against withdrawal from their cylinders andrest'rains the containers from being drawn down surfaces 152 of the camsby any friction occurring between the chassis and the container. Afterremoval of the chassis, the hydraulic pump is actuated to start theroller members rolling down the cam surfaces 152 and permit furtherlowering in a controlled manner, until they rest on the channels 70.

When the container is to be removed from the car, the hydraulicmechanisms 1 71 are actuated to roll the rods 134a up surfaces 152 tothe solid line position of FIG- URE 9. The chassis is then backed underthe container,

and the pump 170 actuated to lower the container onto the chassis andagainst chassis flange 69. When the chassis has been fully lowered, theheads 158 are lifted from rods 134a, whereupon the chassis may be movedforwardly and off the car, carrying the container.

In the embodiment of FIGURES 13 and 14, the channel members 70a are maderelatively long and each carr-ies a set of container lift devices 64aand cam members 150 and 150a. The cam members of each set marked l150aare preferably arranged for adjustment longitudinally of the respectivechannel members 70:: in the manner indicated in FIGURE 14, whichillustrates a spring pressed detent 190, carried by the channel 192 towhich the cam member 150a is secured, which may be received in one of aplurality of holes 1% formed along the length of the channel member 70a.This arrangement permits the handling of containers 46 of variouslengths by the same car.

As illustrated best in FIGURE 2, the railroad car a may include a guardrail 290 on each side thereof to serve as a guide for the tractor andtrailer chassis wheels. The guard rails 20%) may be secured toappropriate stiffening components 202 that extend between the side wallstructures and floor of the car.

In the embodiment of FIGURE 9, the container lift device includes thedouble acting cylinder 154 so that the container when elevated forremoval from a chassis may be pushed to start it moving downwardly(after the chassis is removed) and then lower it in a controlled manner.The container may be locked in lowered or any other position by merelyclosing off the hydraulic circuiting by the appropriate controllingvalve. It will be noted that the axial center of seat 16% is below theaxis of piston rod 165, which insures that a downward holding componentof force is applied to each container support 66 so long as hydraulicliquid is acting on the piston of the cylinder 154.

The railroad car illustrated is of the drop end gondola type, and thisis preferred, as its end posts are designed for heavy loads and may beadapted for use in accordance with my invention by removing the hingedends. However, other types of railroad cars having appropriate side wallor side railing structures will be satisfactory.

In a specific embodiment of the invention, containers 8 feet wide, 8feet three inches high and feet long are arranged to be carried on a carsuch as that herein de scribed. With these dimensions, the top of thecontainer stands at approximately 16 feet above the track rails when thecontainer rests on its chassis 44. The container lift devices lift ormove the container upwardly with respect to the chassis only from one tothree inches, as is necessary to take suflicient weight off the chassissprings to permit removal of the chassis. When the container rests onthe side rail structures of the railroad car, its top is approximately15 feet 3 inches above the track rails, the container lift devicesraising and lowering the container between its positions of maximum andminimum height. A container of these dimensions when loaded will weighapproximately 16,000 pounds and the individual container lift deviceswill carry approximately 15,000 pounds each. The container lift devicesmay be arranged to accommodate containers of lengths from 17 to feet,depending on the length of the railroad car employed and how manycontainers are to be carried by the car.

ADVANTAGES OF INVENTION My invention has a number of importantadvantages. For instance, the cushioning devices 63 provide a cushioningaction on loading of the container as well as during transportationthereof. The illustrated device 63, which is merely illustrative ofnumerous types of specific cushioning devices that could be employed,will provide a cushioning action of about eight inches in eitherdirection, but a cushioned movement on the order of thirty inches iscontemplated by appropriately designing the cushioning device.

The container support being cushioned, the positions of the respectivecontainer lift devices longitudinally of the car may be varied at will.Moreover, the frictional engagement of the sliding channels of thecontainer supports with the side rails of the car materially increasesthe capacity of the cushioning effect provided by devices 63 or theirequivalents.

Hoisting equipment of an expensive type is rendered unnecessary becauseof the use of the motive power of the trailer tractor and the short liftthat is required to move the containers beween the necessary lowered andelevated positions.

The container in its mounted position on the car is relatively low inspite of the fact that it rides above the car floor a considerableamount. The top of a container of the above specified dimensions willride well below the top of a semi-trailer carried piggyback fashion.

The container lift devices need only be strong enough to raise and lowera fully loaded container, as during transit the lift devices areunloaded.

The foregoing description and the drawings are given merely to explainand illustrate my invention and the invention is not to be limitedthereto except insofar as the appended claims are so limited, sincethose skilled in the art who have my disclosure before them will be ableto make modifications and variations therein without departing from thescope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for transporting freight comprising a railroad car formedwith upstanding side wall structures, a container support movablymounted on each side wall structure, cushioning means interposed betweeneach container support and the side wall structure on which it iscarried, a container adapted to be mounted between and carried by saidsupports, said container carrying laterally extensible rigid supportmembers on either side thereof engageable with said supports,respectively, a chassis adapted to be separably connected to saidcontainer, said supports each including means for raising and loweringthe container with respect to said chassis, and means for backing saidchassis onto the car and for drawing the chassis away therefrom,whereby, said chassis with the container carried thereby may be backedonto the car, said container may be lifted upwardly to take asubstantial portion of the weight of the container off the chassis topermit removal of the chassis, and after removal of the chassis thecontainer may be lowered to a transporting position of minimum height.

2. Apparatus for transporting freight comprising a railroad car formedwith upstanding side rail structures, a container support slidablymounted on each side rail structure, cushioning means interposed betweeneach container support and the side rail structure on which it iscarried, a container adapted to be mounted between and carried by saidsupports, said container carrying laterally extensible rigid supportmembers on either side thereof engageable with said supports,respectively, a chassis adapted to be separably connected to saidcontainer, said supports each including means for raising and loweringthe container with respect to said car when said container is engagedwith said chassis, the last mentioned means including leverage meansrendered effective on movement of the container in one directionlongitudinally of the car to raise same with respect to the chassis, andto lower same on movement in the opposite direction, and means forbacking said chassis onto the car and for drawing the chassis awaytherefrom, whereby, said chassis with the container carried thereby maybe backed onto the car, said container may be lifted with respect to thecar to lift a substantial portion of its weight from the chassis duringthe backing movement thereof to permit separation of the two for removalof the chassis, and after removal of the chassis the container it may belowered to a transporting position of minimum height.

3. Apparatus for transporting freight comprising a railroad car formedwith upstanding side rail structures, a container support slidablymounted on each side rail structure, cushioning means interposed betweeneach container support and the side rail structure on which it ismounted, a container adapted to be mounted between and carried by saidsupports, said container carrying laterally extensible rigid supportmembers on either side thereof engageable with said supports, means forlocking said support members in extended position, said supports eachincluding a lever secured at one end thereof to the support for pivotalmovement about an axis that extends generally transversely of the carand is positioned substantially below the top of the railing structure,means for moving said levers between a substantially vertical positionand an inclined position in which the levers extending generally in thedirection from which the container is to be loaded onto the car, each ofsaid levers being formed with a seat on the other end thereof to receivethe respective rigid support members of said container, a chassisadapted to be separably connected to said container, and means forbacking said chassis onto the car and for drawing the chassis away fromthe car, whereby, said chassis with the container carried thereby may bebacked onto the car by bringing said rigid members, when extended, intoengagement with the respective lever seats, and on further backing saidlevers are rocked toward their vertical positions to lift a substantialportion of the weight of said container from said chassis to permitwithdrawal of the chassis, whereupon the said means for moving saidlevers may be actuated to lower said support members onto the respectivesupports.

4. Apparatus for transporting freight comprising a railroad car formedwith upstanding side rail structures, an elongate container supportslidably mounted on each side rail structure, cushioning meansinterposed between each container support and the side rail structure onwhich it is mounted, a container adapted to be mounted between andcarried by said supports, said container carrying a pair of laterallyextensible rigid support members on each side thereof engageable withsaid supports, means for locking said support members in extendingposition, said supports each including a pair of upwardly extendinglevers each secured thereto adjacent one end thereof for pivotalmovement about an axis that extends generally transversely of the carand is positioned substantially below the top of the railing structure,said levers of each suppport being spaced for engagement with the pairof support members to be carried by the support, power means for movingsaid levers between a substantially vertical position and an inclinedposition in which the levers extend generally in the direction fromwhich the container is to be loaded onto the car, each of said leversbeing formed with a seat on the other end thereof to receive therespective rigid support members of said container, a chassis adapted tobe separably connected to said container, said seats in the lowerpositions of said levers being substantially horizontally aligned withsaid support members of said container when said container rests on saidchassis and means for backing said chassis onto the car and for drawingthe chassis away from the car, whereby, said chassis with the containercarried thereby may be backed onto the car to bring said rigid members,when extended into engagement with the respective lever seats, and onfurther backing, said levers are rocked toward their vertical positionsto lift a substantial portion of the weight of said container from saidchassis to permit withdrawal of the chassis, whereupon the said meansfor moving said levers may be actuated to lower said support membersonto the respective supports.

5. The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said 12 elongate supportseach carry a lug positioned adjacent the respective lever seats when intheir lowered positions, said lugs being formed to at least partiallyoverlie the respective container rigid support members when said membersrest on said supports.

6. The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said levers each includeextension means on their upper ends for catching said rigid members ofsaid container as the latter is moved onto the car with said rigidmembers extended.

7. The appartus set forth in claim 4 wherein said power means comprisesa fluid actuated cylinder carried by each of said supports, saidcylinders being connected between the respective supports and one of thelevers carried thereby.

8. The apparatus set forth in claim 4 wherein said one ends of saidlevers are pivoted between spaced plates fixed to and depending from therespective supports, said plates at their lower ends riding onhorizontally disposed wear plates.

9. The apparatus set forth in claim 4 including guide rail means mountedalong each side rail structure on the inside of the car to serve as achassis wheel guide.

10. Apparatus for transporting freight comprising a railroad car formedwith upstanding side rail structures, an elongated container supportslidably mounted on each side rail structure, cushioning meansinterposed between each container support and the side rail structure onwhich it is mounted, a container adapted to be mounted between andcarried by said supports, said container carrying a pair of laterallyextensible rigid support members on each side thereof engageable withsaid supports, means for locking said support members in extendedposition, said supports each including a pair of cam surfaces incliningupwardly in a direction away from the end of the car from which thecontainer is to be loaded onto the car and removed therefrom, said camsurfaces of each support being spaced for engagement with the pair ofsupport members of said container to be carried by it, power meansengageable with said container for drawing said support members of saidcontainer, when the latter rest on said supports, longitudinally of saidcam surfaces to raise and lower the container, said cam surfaces eachterminating in an upstanding stop lug portion at their upper ends, achassis adapted to be separably connected to said container, the lowerportions of said cam surfaces being substantially horizontally alignedwith said support members of said container when said container rests onsaid chassis, and means for backing said chassis onto the car and fordrawing the chassis away from the car, whereby, said chassis with thecontainer carried thereby may be backed onto the car to bring said rigidmembers, when extended, into engagement with said cam surfaces,respectively, and on further backing, said rigid members ride up saidcam surfaces to lift a substantial portion of the weight of saidcontainer from said chassis to permit withdrawal of the chassis fromunder the container, whereupon the said power means may be actuated tolower said support members down said cam surfaces onto the respectivesupports.

11. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein said power meanscomprises fluid operated cylinder means carried by each of saidsupports, said cylinder means of each support being mounted adjacent thecam surface of each support nearest said end of said car and beingsecured to the respective supports rearwardly of said nearest camsurface, with respect to the backing movement of said chassis in movingsaid container support members against said cam surface, said cylindermeans of each support including means for engaging the container supportmember that engages said nearest camsurfaces, whereby said cylindermeans may be operated to draw said support members longitudinally ofsaid cam surfaces to raise and lower said container.

12. The apparatus set forth in claim wherein said support members areeach formed with a flanged outwardly projecting end and include rollerbearing means for engagement with the respective cam surfaces.

13. The apparatus set forth in claim 11 wherein the means for engagingthe respective container support members that each cylinder meanscarries comprises a head member formed with a seat for receiving thesupport member, saidseat of each head member opening downwardly, saidhead member each including a downwardly facing cam surface forwardly ofits seat against which the respective container support members engageto guide the seats of the respective head members onto the respectivecontainer support members, and shelf means associated with each of saidcam surfaces for guiding the respective head members along a path ofmovement that is parallel to the respective cam surfaces.

14. The apparatus set forth in claim 10 wherein said supports each carrya plurality of pairs of said cam surfaces, with one of said cam surfacesof each pair being mounted for adjustment longitudinally of therespective supports, said pairs of cam surfaces being positioned forcooperation with additional containers provided with said supportmembers, said power means comprising separate means carried by eachsupport for drawing said support members of each containerlongitudinally of the respective cam surfaces.

15. Apparatus for handling freight comprising a container, saidcontainer carrying spaced laterally extensible support members on eitherside thereof, a railroad car formed with upstanding side rail structureson either side thereof, container supports carried by said car on saidside rail structures, said container supports corresponding in numberand location longitudinally of the car to the number and location of therespective container support members on the respective sides of thecontainer, said support members when extended being proportioned toengage said supports, respectively, a chassis, means for separablyconnecting said chassis to said container, and means for moving saidchassis onto the car from one end thereof and for drawing the chassisaway therefrom, said supports each comprising mechanical advantage meansacting between the car and said support members, when said supportmembers of said container when carried by said chassis are brought intoengagement with the respective supports under the motive action of saidchassis moving means, for sufficiently raising the container withrespect to said chassis through said support members, to permit saidchassis to be withdrawn from under the container by said moving means,said mechanical advantage means each comprising a cam member secured tothe respective rail structures and defining an upwardly facing camsurface inclining upwardly in a direction away from the end of the carfrom which the container is to be moved onto said car by said chassismoving means, with said supports, said container and said chassis beingproportioned so that the lower portions of said cam surfaces aresubstantially horizontally aligned with said support members of saidcontainer when the said container rests on said chassis, and jack meanscarried by the car and operably associated with said supports forraising and lowering the container with respect to the car through saidmechanical advantage means after the chassis has been removed from underthe container, said jack means comprising a jack device secured to eachside rail structure adjacent one of said cam members thereof andincluding an extensible and retractable member including a head portionformed with a seat for receiving the container support member that is tocooperate with said one cam member of the respective side railstructures, and power means for extending and retracting saidretractable jack means.

16. In a railroad car for transporting freight containers of the typeprovided with spaced laterally extensible and retractable supportmembers on either side thereof and adapted to be separably connected toa highway vehicle chassis, with the car including a bed provided withside wall structures proportioned to project above the bed to a heightshort of that corresponding to the height that the retractable supportmembers ride above the ground when the container is carried by thechassis, the improvement wherein forward and rearward container supportdevices are carried by said car on said side wallstructures, on eitherside of the car, said support devices corresponding in number and spacedrelation longitudinally of the car to the number and spaced relation ofthe respective container support members on the container, said supportdevices being positioned with respect to the tops of said respectiveside wall structures to be engaged by the container support members,when the chassis carrying the container has been driven onto said bedand positioned with its support members disposed adjacent to andextended into alignment with said respective support devices and thechassis is moved to move the container and its support members in adirection toward the support devices, said support devices comprisingmechanical advantage means operatively responsive to further movement ofthe chassis and container in said direction for sufficiently raising thecontainer through the support members to permit the chassis to bewithdrawn from under the container, and operatively responsive tomovement of the container relative to the car in the opposite directionfor lowering the container from such raised position, and jack meanssecured to either side of the car for moving the containerlongitudinally of the car in said opposite direction to lower samethrough the action of said mechanical advantage means as required tosupport the container support members on the respective side railstructures after the chassis has been removed from under the container,and for moving the container in the first mentioned direction to raisethe container through the action of said mechanical advantage means forpositioning a like chassis under the container.

17. Apparatus for handling freight comprising a container, saidcontainer carrying spaced laterally extensible and retractable supportmembers on either side thereof, a chassis, means for separablyconnecting said chassis to said container, a railroad car including abed provided with upstanding side wall structures proportioned toproject above the bed to a height short of that corresponding to theheight that the retractable support members ride above the ground whenthe container is carried by the chassis, means for moving said chassisonto the car from one end thereof and for drawing the chassis awaytherefrom, forward and rearward container support devices carried bysaid car on said side wall structures on either side of the car, saidsupport devices corresponding in number and spaced relationlongitudinally of the car to the number and spaced relation of therespective container support members on the container, said supportdevices being positioned with respect to the tops of said respectiveside wall structures to be engaged by the container support members,when said chassis carrying the container has been driven onto said bedand positioned with its support members disposed adjacent to andextended into alignment with said respective support deviceslongitudinally of the car and the chassis is moved to move the containerand its support members in a direction toward the support devices, saidsupport devices comprising mechanical advantage means operativelyresponsive to further movement of the chassis and container in saiddirection, under the motive action of said chassis moving means, forsufficiently raising the container through the support members to permitthe chassis to be withdrawn from under the container, and operativelyresponsive to movement of the container relative to the car in theopposite direction, under the motive action of said chassis movingmeans, for lowering the container from such raised position, and jackmeans operatively secured to the car for moving the containerlongitudinally of the car in said opposite direction to lower camethrough the action of said mechanical advantage means as required tosupport the container support members on the respective side wallstructures after the chassis has been removed from under the container,and for moving the container in the first mentioned direction to raisethe container through the action of said mechanical advantage means forpositioning a like chassis under the container.

18. The apparatus set forth in claim 17 wherein said mechanicaladvantage means each comprise a lever secured adjacent one end thereofto the car for pivotal movement about an axis that extends generallytransversely of said car and is positioned below the tops of therespective sidewall structures, stop means for limiting the pivotalmovement of the respective levers between a substantially verticalposition and an inclined position in which the respective levers extendgenerally in the direction from which the container is to be moved ontosaid car by said chassis moving means, each of said levers being formedwith a seat on the other end thereof to receive the respective containersupport members on movement of the container in said first mentioneddirection when said support members are in their extended positions, andwherein said jack means comprises a jack device secured between the carand one of said levers on either side of the car.

19. The apparatus set forth in claim 17 wherein said container supportmembers adjacent the respective ends of the container comprises a tubesecured to the container adjacent each end thereof and extending thewidth of the container, and a rod slidably mounted in each end of thetube, said rods being formed with outwardly projecting heads, and meansfor locking said rods in extended and retracted positions, said tubeseach forming and replacing a crossbearer of said container.

References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,126,950 Ditchfield Aug. 16, 1938 2,166,948 Fitch July 25, 19392,223,275 Valenzuela Nov. 26, 1940 2,304,418 McMurry Dec. 8, 19422,613,836 Newhall et a1. Oct. 14, 1952 2,720,324 Cosentino Oct. 11, 19552,817,303 Charlet Dec. 24, 1957 2,872,880 Madden Feb. 10, 1959 2,873,693Chapman Feb. 17, 1959 2,901,986 Furrer Sept. 1, 1959

